IgG4 Food Antibodies 90 - Serum

IgG4 Delayed Food Reactions – More common than you think

What is an IgG4 response?

IgG4 antibodies are associated with non-atopic or "delayed" food reactions that can worsen or contribute to many different health problems. These reactions are considered the most common form of immunologically mediated food intolerance. An IgG4 response to food is actually more common than the IgE response, which causes an immediate reaction. IgG4 acts as a blocking antibody, protecting the individual from potentially fatal IgE reactions. These reactions are more difficult to notice since they can occur hours or even days after consumption of an offending food. In some cases, a person's reaction to a food may occur several days after eating the offending food and the link between the food and their symptoms may not be connected. These "hidden" food allergies are caused by increasing blood levels of IgG4 antibodies in reaction to specific foods.

Metametrix Innovation in IgG Antibody Testing

• New patent-pending IgG4 assay allows our test to show less false positives leading to better patient compliance.
• First test to quantitate IgG4
• Eliminates non-specific binding, lowering false positives without rejecting true positives

Common offending frequently eaten foods typically hard to avoid:

• Milk
• Corn
• Wheat
• Egg
• Foods processed with molds such as black tea, breads, and fruit juices

Metametrix offers two Allergix IgG4 Food Antibody Profiles:

• IgG4 Food Antibody Profile – measures serum levels of IgG4 antibodies specific to 90 food antigens. A four-day rotation diet is included.
• Bloodspot IgG4 Food Antibody Profile – measures levels of IgG4 antibodies specific to 30 commonly offending foods from an easy-to-use finger stick.  A four-day rotation diet is included.

Special Pricing is available for the following Allergix combination profiles:

• 0270 - IgG4 and IgE Food Antibodies
• 0278 - IgG4 Food Antibodies and Celiac Profile

ION™ Profiles - Blood & Urine

ION (Individual Optimal Nutrition) Profile is a combination of analyses that measures levels of organic acids, fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Over time, functional nutritional inadequacies can result in a variety of chronic health conditions. The ION Profile can help determine the basis for these chronic health conditions.

Included profiles are the:

• Organix^SM Profile – reveals the nutritional and metabolic basis of patient symptoms, including anxiety, mood changes, and immune responses.
• Amino Acid Profile – determines essential amino acid imbalances that affect both physical and mental function.
• Nutrient and Toxic Element Profiles – identify a toxic burden, which can render considerable damage to the brain and nervous system as well as sufficiency of nutrient elements.
• Fatty Acid Profile – helps strike the right balance of fatty acids that can impact health and development.
• Antioxidant Vitamins – measure a total body status of antioxidant nutrients and nutritional deficiencies.
• Coenzyme Q10 – a measure of total body status of this antioxidant nutrient and energy pathway cofactor.
• Lipid Peroxides – measure of total serum lipid peroxidation, an indication of whole body free radical activity.
• Homocysteine – elevated total homocysteine in plasma is an independent risk factor for premature cardiovascular disease and atherothrombotic cerebrovascular disease.

The ION™ Profile is Helpful in Cases of:

Heart Disease: where deficiencies of magnesium, taurine, carnitine, fatty acids and other important substances commonly accompany heart disease. Re-supplying depleted nutrients greatly aids in prevention and recovery.

Obesity: since many obese persons have multiple nutritional deficiencies. Dietary improvement and nutritional supplementation based on ION test results help many achieve more active metabolism. In the process, they are able to eliminate excess fat and fluid.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: an enigmatic disorder that frequently involves mitochondrial inefficiencies (deficits in cellular energy production) that can be revealed by comparing the organic acids, amino acids and minerals test results.

Cancer: is usually exacerbated by malnutrition/cachexia. Overall, nutritional testing helps determine the type and amount of supplementation needed.

Immune Disorders: where deficiencies in a wide variety of nutrients, from amino acids to fatty acids to zinc, are seen.

Developmental Delay, Autism, Down’s Syndrome: increasing numbers of children are experiencing dramatic improvements in development and achievement due to supplementation based on ION test results.

Mental/Emotional Disorders: often have biochemical imbalances underlying them are revealed by testing for organic acids, amino acids, minerals, and fatty acids.

Learning & Behavioral Disorders: since, as might be expected in disorders such as ADHD, neurotransmitter precursors and their metabolites are often unbalanced. Assessment of organic acids and amino acids can be very helpful.

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities: functional nutrient levels are affected, including many of those involved in cellular respiration. The ION profile can determine where imbalances occur.

Toxic Metals 6-8 Hr - Urine

Nutrient and Toxic Elements in Urine Nutrient and Toxic Elements in Urine

Some elements can accumulate in tissues causing toxic effects. Metal toxicity is a significant environmental health concern. A toxic load of lead, cadmium, mercury or arsenic is capable of rendering considerable damage to the brain and nervous system, particularly in children. Toxic elements produce their many negative effects through various mechanisms.

One mechanism, irreversible enzyme inhibition, is illustrated by the anemia caused when lead binds to enzymes in the hemoglobin synthesis pathway. The cancer-inducing effect of arsenic seems to be due to an inhibition of DNA repair. Genotoxicity, in which chromosomes are damaged, is linked to the free radical generation abilities of cadmium, lead and nickel. Mercury causes enzyme poisoning.

Which Test Should I use?

Urine element testing is primarily useful to monitor levels of toxic metals such as aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury and for special mineral uptake testing. The 6-8 hour collection profiles are primarily for patients who are receiving oral or IV metal chelating agents to mobilize toxic elements from body pools. The 24-hour collection profiles may be used with or without administration of chelating agents to assess the rate of excretion of the elements reported. The total output of urine over 24 hours is collected and the daily output of nutrient and/or toxic elements is determined.

Metametrix offers flexibility in urine element testing. Clinicians can select from challenged and unchallenged protocols. They can select both nutrient and toxic elements or toxic elements only. Although many clinicians do both pre- and post-challenge testing, some now elect to only test following the oral or IV administration of a chelating agent.

In order to allow comparison between different test protocols, Metametrix results are reported using standardized units. 24-hour urine collections are reported as units per day. 6-8 hour collections are reported as units per mg creatinine to allow for variations in urine dilution.

Metametrix urine element analysis features:

• Testing with the latest advances in technology (DRC ICP-MS), which can guide therapy by pinpointing imbalances of these important substances.
• Flexible test configurations to fit your protocols.
• A cost-effective approach for monitoring nutrient and toxic elemen

Assessing the Body's Fundamental Building Blocks

The Amino Acids 40 Plasma Profile

In addition to pinpointing problems in amino acid absorption and determining essential amino acid imbalances, the plasma amino acid 40 test includes evaluation of limiting, branched chain, and essential and non-essential amino acids. It also identifies several functional categories, such as neuroendocrine, vascular, collagen status and detoxification, along with five calculated ratios, and identifies vitamin and mineral insufficiencies.

Plasma Amino Acids

Fasting plasma levels represent a homeostatic balance between supply and utilization of amino acids making this specimen option ideal for repeated assessments to monitor progress of treatment. Collecting a fasting plasma specimen from a patient removes recent dietary intake effects. The following factors can effect changes over time in plasma:

• Chronic dietary intake
• Digestive efficiency
• Hepatic uptake
• Skeletal muscle's ability to maintain transamination

Why is amino acid testing important?

Amino acids, known as the "building blocks" of proteins are found in every tissue of the body. They play a major role in nearly every chemical process that affects both physical and mental function including the formation of ligaments, tendons, bones, and antibodies, as well as regulation of enzymes and blood transport proteins. Twenty different amino acids are used to synthesize proteins.

The human body can synthesize all of the amino acids necessary to build proteins except for ten called the "essential amino acids". These ten must be included in the diet or supplemented to be in adequate supplies. Failure to obtain enough of even 1 of the 10 essential amino acids has serious health implications and can result in degradation of the body's proteins. Muscle and other protein structures may be dismantled to obtain the one amino acid that is needed.

Amino acids have more diverse functions than any other nutrient group, including:

Conditions Associated with Amino Acid Changes in Plasma:

Customized Amino Acid Formula

A formula for a customized amino acid blend, based on your patient's specific test results, is provided with every plasma amino acid test result. These customized amino acid formulations provide appropriate amounts of essential and conditionally essential amino acids, delivered in a balanced ratio to offset the risk of imbalance sometimes seen with the use of single amino acid supplements. This blend can be made by many compounding pharmacies.